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save the planet

I am a Bzzz agent which means that I get sent new products to try for free in return for sharing the word with friends and family about the new products and telling the manufacturers what I think of them. One of the recent products I got sent was a box of Naturally Powered non biological washing powder which is only sold in Tesco and costs £3.00 for an 800g box which contains 13 washes.

I have always been a bit suspicious of eco products, don't get me wrong I like the environment as much as anyone else but have never found that they work as well as their chemical laden competitors and are also generally more expensive. Naturally Powered is made from plant based materials and contains oxygen derived bleaching agents.

Naturally powered is just as easy to use as normal detergents, just measure out the amount needed in the enclosed paper cup, add the powder to the machine drawer and switch on. The powder looks like any other laundry powder with some blue specks through the white powder but is not as highly perfumed. It dissolves quite well in the machine but there is the inevitable little bit of undissolved residue left over.

I used my Naturally Powered in a number of different wash types, typically I either wash at 40 degrees or on quickwash. I found it performed perfectly on my typical wash load which is mixed clothing or bedding and is not really very dirty. It did not take away any heavy staining like food spills but then no laundry powder i use has done so without an extra stain remover.

I use fabric softener with my wash and the washing came out just as soft as it would with any other premium washing powder.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the Naturally Powered laundry powder performed, as someone who always thought Eco products were rubbish I will buy this powder again. It is also a great price, Ecover costs £3.50 for a similar box and Fairy non-bio £4.50 for a similar number of washes so you are saving money as well as the planet.

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A good eco-friendly alternative to Fairy non bio

As a BzzAgent, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to test products for free in return for spreading the word about them to others. (It's not a paid job, sadly, but a nice way to try stuff for free. Anybody interested can sign up online at www.bzzagent.co.uk)

One of my most recent campaigns has been for a new range of eco-friendly products created by Tesco (and obviously exclusive to Tesco) but branded under the title 'Naturally Powered'. I'm not entirely sure why there seems to be this recent trend to 'brand' own brand products - perhaps it is meant to make them seem more of a premium product?

I'm a Mum to three young boys, including a messy toddler, so I was delighted to receive a full sized 800g box of the new Naturally Powered Non Bio washing powder to try in this latest campaign. I received a surprisingly small box, which claims to wash up to 13 loads of laundry. In keeping with the eco-friendly ethos, the range uses minimal (recycled) packaging and that is certainly the case here. The tiny box was filled pretty much to the top with powder, so no wasted space, helping to reduce the storage room needed at home as well as taking up less room during transportation and storage in store which is also good for the environment.

I particularly liked the inclusion of a tiny 'expresso' style cup to measure out the appropriate amount of powder and dispense it easily without any mess or hassle. I found the measurements easy to read and the suggested amount of powder per load was a pretty accurate figure, with the results to prove it.

I soon set the powder to work and have used it to wash various different materials and fabrics within all sorts of settings and temperatures in my machine. Fortunately, the one thing that has been consistent throughout my wash loads has been the excellent performance of the powder. My oldest son loves his football and leaves his white school tops covered in mud so I was delighted to discover that the Naturally Powered powder performed just as well as my usual (more expensive) brand of Fairy non bio. Food stains and other spillages were also dealt with effectively and the powder left the loads smelling lovely too, which is always a bonus. As an eco-friendly product, this uses only natural ingredients but there is no noticeable deterioration in performance.

I always use non bio powder as I and my boys all have sensitive skin and we suffer from eczema which flares up occasionally. I can be a bit reluctant to try new brands in case it causes any reaction but, again, Naturally Powered proved to be as good as my usual powder with nobody in the family experiencing any skin irritation or discomfort. I never use fabric softener and found that this left my clothes as soft as Fairy would do too.

The non bio costs £3.50 per box or two boxes can be purchased for £6. I love the product and the minimal packaging and eco credentials are yet another bonus. I've been so impressed that I've already purchased another product from the Naturally Powered range and have been happy to recommend this to friends and family.

(Based on my review submitted to the BzzAgent website.)

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An effective washing powder

In my (limited) spare time, I am a buzz agent, which means I have the opportunity to try out new products and share my findings and experiences with others. A product that I was recently sent was this Naturally Powered Non Bio Concentrated Laundry Powder which was a brand that I had never heard nor seen before, but I was definitely willing to try it out, and so I was given a sample of this. This product has been especially produced by Tesco, developed with the help of eco experts, so should appeal to those who like to do their bit for the environment, which includes myself!

A box supplying 13 washes worth of powder costs £3.50, which when I compare it to my usual brand of choice Persil non bio which costs just over that for only 10 washes, then this does work out better value for me!

I do have to be careful however as my husband and myself have sensitive skin and my husband in particular has had a reaction in the past when we changed the washing powder, so I am cautious. Now, that we have a baby I am always extremely careful, but I was happy to give this a go, and I tried it out first on clothes that only my husband and I wear rather than my daughter;s clothes.

Within the box, there is a little paper cup (not the most sophisticated looking!) with a measurement on it to let you know the amount to fill it to. The powder is kept within a bag within the box. It does state on the box that this product should do 13 washes when you are washing normal loads with normal soiling in medium hard water. There are directions on the back of the product for how much product to use depending on your water hardness, and for light to heavy soiling on clothing. This product isn't suitable for wool or silk.

On the front of the box, this product claims to offer brilliant results at 15C, however I didn't test them on this, as I stuck to my usual 40C temperature on the washing machine. It also states that this product is dermatologically tested and 'supports the production of certified sustainable palm oil'. It also contains plenty of natural elements derived from plants.

As I said, the first wash that I did with this product was on clothes of my husband and myself, rather than my baby's. However, I was as impressed with this product as I am with my usual Persil non bio. I saw absolutely no difference in any regard from the cleanness of the clothes, to their fresh smell and also no residue left on anything. In fact, I don't know that I would have known any difference if I didn't know any better. My husband and I have both worn clothes that have been washed in this product and have had no reaction to it. So, after the first success, I put on a load of my daughter;s reusable nappies, which use very little powder, but always non bio powder. Again, my daughter has worn these since they have been washed and dried and there has been no reaction, so I am very impressed with its ability to be used for all the family.

If I had one minor gripe, it would be that I don't find the packaging very eye catching. In fact, I find it quite cheap looking, especially when you compare it to leading brands, and this may put some people off. Now, that I have tried it myself, it wouldn't be enough to put me off, but I think it should be looked at to attract more users.

All in all, I would happily buy this product after my sample has run out, assuming my local TEsco begins to stock it. It is cheaper than my usual Persil non Bio, which I usually stock up on when on offer, but at full price this is cheaper and better value for money and in my experience does the exact same job.